A large crowd of mainly Norwegians urged on Heikkinen as he approached the line, appreciating his relentless work in defeating two local favorites.

“It’s nice to see that cross-country skiers in Norway are like ice hockey players in Finland,” Heikkinen said.

The exhausted Finn barely reacted after the race, in contrast to the two Norwegian medalists.

“For me there is a black moment for some minutes after a race, but this evening will be special,” Heikkinen said.

He said he hoped his victory would help lift the cloud that has shadowed Finnish cross-country for a decade. Six team members tested positive for banned substances in 2001 at the worlds in Lahti, Finland.

“I have nothing to do with these things,” Heikkinen said. “It’s time to take a big step forward and concentrate on what is happening now and in the future.”

Norway stretched its lead in the medal standings after 11 of 21 events. The host nation’s skiers, spurred by the massive crowds at Holmenkollen, have 10 medals to Austria’s six and Germany’s four.